TEHRAN - Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi on Tuesday condemned a coup in Bolivia and change of government without a legal basis.

“Any change of government in a forceful way and not within legal framework and especially by interference of foreign forces is condemned and unacceptable,” he said. 

Mousavi also condemned the United States’ interference in the internal affairs of Bolivia.

Bolivian Ambassador to Tehran Romina Guadalupe Perez Ramos said on Monday that the coup in her country is rooted in fascist approach.

“Opponents have used fascist methods and has resorted to violent actions to reach their objectives,” she said in a press conference in Tehran.

The ambassador said that the coup in Bolivia was a plot hatched before the presidential elections in October.

“In some cases, foreign elements guide protests in Bolivia. Yesterday, violent actions were intensified and Mr. President [Evo Morales] and the vice president resigned for the sake of the Bolivians’ security. According to the constitution, when president resigns, vice president should accept the responsibility and when the vice president resigns, president of the Senate should accept responsibility. However, the opponents do not accept this procedure and insist that another person should take the office,” she explained. 

Morales stepped down as Bolivia’s president on Sunday.

Morales — Latin America’s longest-serving president — was declared the winner of the October 20 presidential election.

According to Press TV, the opposition, however, rejected the outcome and claimed there had been fraud in the election process. That sparked violent street protests, which left three people dead and hundreds more wounded, in what the Morales government called a coup bid.

“I want to tell you, brothers and sisters, that the fight does not end here,” Aljazeera quoted Morales as saying in his statement.

“We will continue this fight for equality, for peace,” the 60-year-old added, who has said he is the victim of a coup.

Following his statement, Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera also said he was resigning.

NA/PA